UNILORIN elects students’ leaders

Students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have elected a new set of students’ leaders in an election held last Wednesday.

The process produced Ahmed Ishowo, a 300-Level Mathematics student, as the president of the Students Union Government (SUG). Ahmed polled 919 votes to beat five other candidates.

Jeremy Aweda, a student of the Faculty of Engineering and Idris Aloa, from Faculty of Law, were runners up with 505 and 322 votes respectively.

To make the process transparent and credible, the Independent Student Electoral Commission (ISEC), which conducted the exercise, adopted e-voting model, which had students to vote through the university portal. It was the first time such method was used in any university in the country.

The ISEC chairman, Funsho Sulaimon, said the method afforded students to vote for the candidates of their choice through university e-portal anywhere in the world.

A member of the electoral body Shakir Akorede, advised other institutions to adopt the model, noting that it was stress-free and secure.

Before the election, students were told to register through the portal to enable them vote. On election day, voting started at 7am and ended at 6pm.

The ISEC chairman announced the results in the presence of all the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Prof Abayomi Omotesho, his deputy, Dr Abdulraheem Yusuf, aspirants’ agents, security personnel and campus journalists.

Prof Abayomi described the e-portal model as innovation that could revolutionised electoral process in Nigeria. He urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory. Dr Yusuf told unsuccessful candidates to accept the outcome of the election in good faith.